Teacher of the Year Amy McAllister-Skinner earned her master's degree from CCU's Spadoni College of Education.

A Coastal Carolina University alumna has been named South Carolina's 2012-13 Teacher of the Year by the S.C. Department of Education.

Amy McAllister-Skinner, an English teacher from Johnsonville High School in Florence School District 5, was chosen from more than 80 district-level teachers of the year. She earned her master's degree in literacy from CCU's Spadoni College of Education in May, 2012.

"I decided to get my master's in literacy because I encountered so many students at the high school level who really classify themselves as nonreaders because reading is not something they enjoy; they see it as a torturous event," says McAllister-Skinner. "Through my master's program I learned a lot about how I can incorporate reading and make it something that my students enjoy."

McAllister, who teaches 11th grade English, has been in the classroom for five years. Her undergraduate degree is in English education from Francis Marion University. She received $25,000 cash and a BMW X3 to drive for a year as she travels around the state advocating for public education.

The other four finalists each receive $10,000. They are from Greenville and Kershaw counties, Lexington 2 and Richland 1.

Other district winners receive $1,000 each.

McAllister is the second consecutive high school English teacher to receive the statewide honor. Last year's winner was Patti Tate from Northwestern High School in Rock Hill.